Programs

River Assessment Field Team (RAFT)

Through RAFT’s advanced volunteer sampling program, you can become a citizen scientist and collect water quality samples to fill gaps in agency data, identify pollution hotspots, and measure changes over time in our local streams.

Through RAFT’s advanced volunteer sampling program, you can become a citizen scientist and collect water quality samples to fill gaps in agency data, identify pollution hotspots, and measure changes over time in our local streams.

The RAFT Program

The River Assessment Field Teams (RAFTs) are made up of individuals, family members, or small groups of friends, colleagues, or neighbors who are willing to donate time to help strategically assess local water quality. Data collected through this program will:

  • Help provide a more complete picture of our water quality by teasing out pollution hot spots and measuring trends over time
  • Help our Alliance direct educational and cost-share resources to areas with bad water quality
  • Help agencies like the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and local municipalities, fill in knowledge gaps and address concerns

Citizen science is a powerful tool to understand environmental conditions, complement the work of our agencies, and help make positive change!

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Engaged Volunteers

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Sampling Locations

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Parameters Measured

Sampling Locations and Events

RAFT sampling sites are located on streams that flow into the White River. These sites are strategically selected in areas no one else samples and/or upstream of an impaired area to try to find the pollution source. Explore RAFT sampling locations by clicking on the map to the right.

For RAFT weekend sampling events, sampling sites are divided into 3 regions with different kick-off locations along the White River in Marion or Hamilton Counties.

  • Southern sampling area’s kick off location is the White River Alliance office.
  • Central sampling area’s kick off location is Oliver’s Woods Nature Preserve.
  • Northern sampling area’s kick off location is Conner Prairie.

RAFT sampling events occur once a month on a Sunday from 12:00pm-4:00pm. As a RAFT volunteer, you do not need to participate every month – you can choose the event(s) that are most convenient to you. You will need to register in advance for each month. Everyone will start at the kick off location and return to that same location at the end to return their samples and data.

To register for a monthly RAFT sampling event click the button below.

Volunteering & Training

RAFT Volunteers are citizen scientists

RAFT Volunteers are citizen scientists trained to conduct water quality sampling following a specific protocol. With some time and dedication, anyone 18 years of age and older with moderate physical fitness (due to uneven terrain) can become a RAFT volunteer. Before becoming a RAFT volunteer, you must first complete the online RAFT training program. This will provide an important foundation for understanding what’s involved in water sampling as well as the science behind the various measurements you will take in the field.

If you’re interested in becoming a RAFT volunteer, we’d love to have you. You can find out more about volunteering and the training program by following the button below.

Corporate Sampling Events

The Perfect Team Building Event

Looking for a team building and a community service opportunity? Choose one that is educational, fun, and impactful! Join us for a multi-company group event or choose a private, customizable event. When you participate in our RAFT corporate events, your team will learn about the state of Central Indiana waters, what, why, and how water quality is measured, and how the data that YOU collect is used! Each team will be accompanied by an experienced, knowledgeable RAFT team leader who will guide each team through the sampling process and can provide insight into the program.

Find out more about a RAFT Corporate Sampling Event by following the button below.

Sampling Data

You might be wondering what’s happening with all the data that’s being collected from the monthly water sampling events. Once results from the samples are returned, the data is entered into a database. The data is now available for you to view on an interactive page. You can choose to view data from all the sites or filter the sites and choose those that interest you. Check it out – click the image to the right!

FAQs

Before becoming a RAFT volunteer, it is required that you go through the RAFT Online Training Program. This will provide you the basic understanding of water quality and habitat evaluation techniques necessary to participate in the RAFT program.

White River Alliance will provide all equipment at the beginning of each sampling event. Just come to the event dressed for field work!

Wear comfortable clothing that you are ok to get wet and/or dirty. Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are highly recommended. If you have your own waders or tall waterproof boots, please bring those with you. Waders will be provided to volunteers so bring a pair of socks.

The sampling event will last approximately 3.5 hours, not including your travel time to get the kick-off location.

All volunteers need to be able to walk on sloped and uneven ground to reach sampling locations. There are a variety of roles on each sampling team that can accommodate varying physical levels, there is the data recorder that can stay on the stream banks and then samplers that will need to wade into the water.

All volunteers need to be 18 years old and must sign and submit a waiver to White River Alliance at the beginning of each sampling event. In some cases, teenage volunteers accompanied by their legal guardian may be pre-approved by White River Alliance staff to participate. The RAFT program is designed to meet a level of scientific rigor not appropriate for young children.

Yes, you may request team members at the beginning of each sampling event as teams are being formed at the kick-off location. When registering for an event please let White River Alliance know who you would like on your team.

Yes, all volunteers must sign and submit a waiver to White River Alliance. Waivers are built in to the registration form when you sign up to participate in a sampling event.

Alliance staff will be putting your data into the State’s Hoosier Riverwatch volunteer sampling program database. Your data will be checked for quality assurance and quality control and used to provide supplementary information for use in planning and prioritization of the State’s water assessment program and and other programs. You will be able to see the water quality results of your sampling in the Hoosier Riverwatch database as well as at our annual recap and celebration events.

Local municipalities are aware of this program and neighbors adjacent to the sampling sites have been informed of the effort. The RAFT program is a great opportunity to engage neighbors that live along the streams in water quality awareness and protection.

Yes, it is very important to collect water quality data during all weather conditions to get a complete picture of the water quality.  There are different sampling protocols for wet weather and high flow events that will keep all volunteers safe (but maybe not dry).

Beyond helping strategically assess local water quality and enjoying the outdoors, volunteers will be eligible for rewards based on the number of monthly sampling events you participate in. Rewards may include neat gear and/or gifts cards to local business.